Is it healthy for a teenager to have a big appetite? Is it wrong for a teenager to have a big appetite? My daughter is 14 years old and she eats all the time but she doesn't gain weight. She says she loves food. Is this normal. I was young too and can eat

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Is it healthy for a teenager to have a big appetite? Is it wrong for a teenager to have a big appetite? My daughter is 14 years old and she eats all the time but she doesn't gain weight. She says she loves food. Is this normal. I was young too and can eat

In brief:
Most

Most girls have a growth spurt between the ages of 10 to 14 years old.

This is a time of growth as well as the development that comes with puberty. Your daughter may require extra calories. If she is physically active she will be burning calories faster. You can check with your doctor to see if she is in the normal weight range for a girl of her height. What is important is that she eats healthy and well balanced meals, hydrates well with water and remains physically active. One possible drawback to eating large amounts is that it can become a habit. As she gets older or if she becomes more sedentary, her caloric needs can decrease. If that happened and she continued to have a high food intake (especially if we are talking junk food); then she could experience an unhealthy weight gain.

In brief:
Most

Most girls have a growth spurt between the ages of 10 to 14 years old.

This is a time of growth as well as the development that comes with puberty. Your daughter may require extra calories. If she is physically active she will be burning calories faster. You can check with your doctor to see if she is in the normal weight range for a girl of her height. What is important is that she eats healthy and well balanced meals, hydrates well with water and remains physically active. One possible drawback to eating large amounts is that it can become a habit. As she gets older or if she becomes more sedentary, her caloric needs can decrease. If that happened and she continued to have a high food intake (especially if we are talking junk food); then she could experience an unhealthy weight gain.
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